By DAVID MILLER
Special to The Dispatch
With each cut to the basket, RJ DeLoach feels a bit more confident.
DeLoach returned from ankle surgery a little over a week ago and has played in five of Columbus Christian Academy’s games. And though his ankle is only at “75 percent,” he looked in postseason form Friday at the Columbus Christian Academy Christmas Classic.
DeLoach knocked down a pair of 3-pointers, had three steals and scored 24 points in the Rams’ 75-61 win over West Lowndes.
“I got to get my timing down,” DeLoach said. “Once I get the timing and the speed of the game back, I’ll be fine. I have to stop thinking about it. The more I think about it, the more I lose my handle. But when I just play, I tend to do better.
“I’m just trying to get back to 100 percent.”
The Rams closed the Classic with a 2-2 record and improved to 11-5 overall ahead of next week’s clash at Caledonia.
DeLoach’s reemergence was needed due to the absence of Kimarri Whitfield, who missed the game to compete in a football all-star game, said Greg Watkins, CCA coach. DeLoach emerged early in the game, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter and picking up a pair of put-backs. The Rams led by as many as 15 points by the second quarter. Deloach had a layup and a pair of free throws to extend the Rams’ late lead from seven to 12 points.
“RJ, this tournament has been good for him,” Watkins said. “He wasn’t really in basketball shape when he returned, and that ankle is just getting back to 100 percent. He’s just getting back to making some of these shots, and being kind of reluctant taking it to the goal. His shots are beginning to fall, though. He’s a special kid.”
West Lowndes, which played without leading scorer Marcus Farmer and three others, started freshman Quay Sanders at point guard and played a pair of eighth graders. Still, the Panthers (6-7) clawed back into the game through a suffocating press and trap defense in the second half. Brent Beckwith hit a runner to get the Panthers to within a point, 51-50 late in the third. The Rams, however, opened the fourth quarter on an 8-2 run and never looked back.
“We really couldn’t afford to keep up that press for any longer than we did,” said Torrey Dale, West Lowndes coach. “Playing young, you can’t press the whole game and wear down everyone. I really had to be selective in when I used the press.
“But we competed. We’re trying to prove that we can get back … with all the transfers and losses. We’ll keep competing.”
CJ Smith led West Lowndes with 17 points, while Darius Harkins had 15.
DeKameron Mitchell had 21 for CCA.
n Girls: Winona Christian 54, West Lowndes 51: The West Lowndes High School Lady Panthers missed four of six free throws in the last three minutes and a 3-pointer at the buzzer in a 54-51 loss to Winona Christian School Friday at the Columbus Christian Academy Christmas Classic.
EdMariah Sherrod led the Lady Panthers with 18 points, including a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter that helped West Lowndes take a one-point lead into the fourth.
Mary Morgan Stafford led Winona Christian with 21 points.
West Lowndes’ Marvaysha Seals had a clean look at a 3-pointer from the elbow that would have tied it at the buzzer, but the shot was off-target. The Lady Panthers, who led by as many as six in the first half, lost their eighth straight game and fell to 3-11 on the season.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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